The mysteries of Carthage, the jewel of Tunisia

When you land in the Tunisian capital, you immediately realise the importance of this mythical site, which has given its name to more than sixty cities around the world! The most famous are Cartagena in Colombia and Cartagena in the Spanish province of Murcia. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the archaeological site of Carthage is just 20 minutes from the slopes and is a must-see on any trip to Tunisia.

Don't miss: the amphitheatre, the Carthage National Museum and its garden, the Roman forum, the Hannibal quarter, Saint-Louis Cathedral at the top of Birza hill, Antonin's baths, the 60,000 m3 cisterns, and the Salammbô oceanographic museum, between the two Punic ports, next to the necropolis for young children (the Tophet). The remains of the Punic period (i.e. before the Romans) include the Tophet, the oldest Punic place of worship, set in a large garden in the Salammbô district, and the old war and trading ports.

As is often the case, it all begins with a legend. A Phoenician princess from the city of Tyre in present-day Lebanon landed on the African coast in 814 B.C. She cunningly negotiated with the local king for a piece of land as big as an ox hide. She had the skin cut into very thin strips which, laid end to end, encircled the territory of present-day Carthage, which in Phoenician literally means new city (Qart Hadasht), Tyre being the original city! This princess, called Elyssa, was nicknamed Dido by the Latin poet Virgil, and this is the name of the luxurious Villa Dido hotel, which now stands on the heights of Carthage.

Later, Carthaginian civilisation shone brightly and dominated the region, culminating in General Hannibal, who crossed the Pyrenees and the Alps on elephants to attack Rome. The maritime and Phoenician city-state of Carthage was decidedly too threatening for Rome, hence the famous"Carthago delenda est " declaimed tirelessly by Cato the Elder every time he began or ended a speech before the Roman Senate**, whatever the subject! He was eventually heard and *afterseveral Punic wars (the wars between Rome and Carthage), Carthage was destroyed in 146 BC*. The cursed city was abandoned until 46 BC, when Julius Caesar decided to make it the capital of Rome's African province, the second city of the empire! Carthage was completely abandoned after the death of Saint Louis, and fell into oblivion. Today, it is one of the most exclusive districts of Greater Tunis, home to the official residence of the President of the Republic, as well as numerous ambassadors' residences, pretty villas, elegant boutiques, the Mâlik ibn Anas mosque and a famous luxury hotel, the Villa Didon. It's easy to see why the symbol of Carthage is the phoenix, because the city always rises from its ashes!

The remains of the Roman period include the Baths of Antoninus, imposing ruins of which only the basement remains, but which give an idea of what the site looked like before it was destroyed. In fact, these baths were among the most important in the entire Roman Empire. You walk through the imposing columns, reminiscent of those at the temple of Karnak in Egypt. The great hall was 30 metres high! This is the frigidarium of the thermal baths, an impressive place, the picture postcard of Carthage!

In the ancient theatre of Carthage, it's easy to imagine Winston Churchill's speech on 1 June 1943 to 3,000 British and American soldiers, motivating them as the Second World War reached a turning point! The British Prime Minister was following in the tradition of a theatre where plays were not performed, but where orators and politicians debated in front of the crowd. It is in this place steeped in history, carved out of the rock, that the Carthage International Festival is held every summer.

Afterwards, visit the top of Birza hill (a Greek word meaning ox skin, the origin of the legend of the founding of Carthage) where the French king Saint-Louis died of the plague in 1270 on his way to the 8th crusade. The cathedral was built in 1884 on the supposed site of the king's death. No longer used for worship, it has been known since 1993 under the name ofAcropolium as a cultural venue hosting meetings, exhibitions and concerts. Closed since 2017 for renovation, the nearby National Museum of Carthage is due to reopen in 2026. The museum showcases important pieces from the period, including ceramics, oil lamps, jewellery and funerary objects. You can already wander around its gardens and admire the splendid view over Cap Bon!

Take a stroll through the ruins of the Roman forum, the capitol and centre of the city in Roman times, before stepping back in time to admire the remains of Carthaginian dwellings in the Hannibal quarter, dating from the 2nd century BC, as well as Punic tombs and underground burial chambers from the 6th century BC. The name of this district refers to the famous Hannibal Barca, who crossed the Pyrenees and the Alps on elephants and inflicted several defeats on Rome. In fact, when they wanted their children to obey them, Roman women would shout "Hannibal at our gates! ".

The famous Carthaginian general is also credited with founding the city of Barcelona, whose name comes from Barca! Finally, Hannibal means "he who has the favour of the god Baal", and his brother Hasdrubal's name means "he who has the help of the god Baal". Hasdrubal is also the name of a famous upmarket Tunisian hotel chain operating in Yasmine Hammamet, Port el Kantaoui and Djerba.

You have to use your imagination to bring this extraordinary place back to life, in the days when the port formed a perfect circle inside which 220 warships anchored, spread around the Admiralty islet at its centre! Nearby is the Salammbô Oceanographic Museum, located between the two Punic ports, one military and the other commercial. It displays a wide range of fish species in large aquariums.

Last stop, after getting back in the car, head for the southern end of the site, near the Punic ports, in the Salammbô district, dear to the heart of the French writer Honoré de Balzac, who used it as the title of his historical novel. This is where you'll find the mysterious tophet (Hebrew for hell), a sanctuary dating back to the 3rd century BC, reserved for the goddess Tanit and the god Baal. Here, children who died at birth or in infancy were returned to claim another who would live a long life! Other hypotheses suggest that these young children were sacrificed to the gods! Many people are afraid to visit this cemetery of children who died prematurely, out of superstition... What a thrill to see all these little steles dedicated to these little souls who died too soon!